


Life of the Freeblades

by Dark_Advent



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Thracia 776
Genre: Blood, Family, Family Feels, Fiana Freeblades, Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 - Freeform, Headcanon, Other, Slice of Life, battles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:47:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24262321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dark_Advent/pseuds/Dark_Advent
Summary: Finn, Leif and Nanna had been constantly on the run from the Grannvale Empire for years. However, their fate would change forever within a single lucky day. As destiny would have it, they end up living in the isolated village of Fiana, where the three of them get to live relatively peaceful lives and bond with the other villagers. Thracia 776 fanfiction and a prequel to the events of said game.
Relationships: Finn & Dagdar (Fire Emblem), Finn & Eyvel (Fire Emblem), Finn & Nanna (Fire Emblem), Leif Faris Claus & Eyvel, Leif Faris Claus & Finn, Leif Faris Claus & Nanna, Leif Faris Claus & Osian, Nanna & Mareeta (Fire Emblem), Nanna & Tanya (Fire Emblem)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 11





	1. The Whims of Fate

Rain had been heavy throughout the Thracian Peninsula. The valleys and forests were being revitalized and Imperial forces were few and far between. Amidst the cold showers of rain and the soothing silent of the night, a certain sound disturbed the wonderful works of mother nature. This noise came from deep inside the forest, in a small rock formation which sheltered three human souls from the cold and wetness.

Inside the cave were two children and a knight, looking for shelter as they’ve had since almost the beginning their young lives. The boy’s brown, the girl’s blonde and the knight’s blue hair were all covered in water from the storm outside. Rain kept falling heavily outside, which meant that even animals were silent, leaving the rain as the only disturbance in an otherwise absolute silence inside the cave. 

This silence wouldn’t last however, as the girl began to sniff and sob, falling onto the carpet of dirt before rubbing her eyes and her sounds growing ever louder. Her crying then became almost as heavy as the rain itself, sobbing and letting tears roll down her cheeks, as among her sobbing and sniffing she quietly spoke a few words which were barely understandable.

“M-Mama… I… I WANT MAMA!”

The knight began to move as if he were to try and calm her down. But at that same moment, the brown-haired boy ran towards her, and then embraced her in a hug filled with an air of closeness and the pain which they shared.

The girl’s crying was the same as before, but she was quick to return the hug as she leaned her head over the boy’s shoulder. It was then that the boy decided to speak.

“Nanna… I-I know that you miss your mother, but… We need to be strong. For our kingdoms, for my parents, and for your mother…”   
  
Nanna began to calm down, but Leif could tell that she was still quietly sobbing, so he helped her move so that she could fully lean on him, caressing her head as her crying slowly disappeared.   
  
“I promised you, didn’t I? When we grow up and I can protect you, we’ll go look for Lady Lachesis! Don’t forget that promise, Nanna!”

It was then that the boy could feel Nanna was lightly tugging his shirt, still leaning on him. It was then that he realized she had fallen asleep, blissfully leaving reality in the arms of the only fellow child she could trust. Leif could only smile as he let out a yawn.   
  
“One day… We won’t have to run anymore. Right, Finn?”   
  
It was then that the knight who made them company finally stood up and spoke a word throughout this whole ordeal. Looking at Leif in the eyes with a comforting look that only the most honest yet most broken of people could aspire to have. 

“That is indeed correct, Lord Leif. One day… We will take back our realm, and your father’s wishes of a unified peninsula will come to fruition. For now, I only ask you to be strong and hold on...”

As the fire between them grew dimmer, Finn’s gaze became lost within the small flames.

“My apologies for not acting earlier, I just… I’m not quite sure how to approach Nanna as of late…”   
  
Leif tries to make a pillow out of his travel robe, and turns his head to face Finn.   
  
“What do you mean? You’re her dad… I don’t think it’s right for … _ Yawn... _ you to be so distant towards her…”   
  
Finn reflected upon these words which, while simple, did speak a great truth. He was about to say something to the young child, but upon another glance he found that Leif too had fallen into a deep sleep, with him and Nanna embracing in all their innocence and their desire to live a much more normal life.

Finn could not help but smile at the sight that met his eyes, as he undid his white cape and used it as a blanket to cover his young companions. He then sat down and looked into the fire, reflecting upon everything that has happened so far.

_ “Gods bless me. It’s been such a long time that I almost cannot remember what my life was before escaping Leonster. Heh...” _

_ He then shifted his gaze from the fire and looked at the sleeping Nanna, peacefully resting on Leif’s arms. He couldn’t help putting a slight yet sad smile on his face. _

_ “I apologize, my dears… I’ve been so powerless in every calamity… I couldn’t be there for Lord Quan, Lady Ethlyn or Princess Altenna… Nanna, my sweet child... I couldn't do anything when your mother vanished into the sands of Yied… I’m sorry...” _

_ He then realized that he was getting quite tired himself, so he stood up and made sure the cave’s entrance was covered before lying besides the two children. He yawned quietly and looked at the stone ceiling for a little while. _

_ “I wonder how Glade is doing… All knights under the cross of Leonster were to be either executed or forced to comply. I only know by mere rumours that he’s still alive, somewhere… Heh, it almost makes me remember our days at the Academy, all ever so distant...” _

_ Finn could merely sigh and start closing his eyes, attempting to get rest and prepare for whatever might await them tomorrow. _

_ “... I failed my Lord… I failed the woman I love… Lord Leif, Nanna… If you ever decide you should despise me, I will assume my faults. And yet, I’ll still make sure you have a bright and happy future within your hands. In the end, what happens to me doesn’t matter… Everything I do is for Lord Quan, and my Lady Lachesis… To ensure that you both can one day live a life of peace… And accomplish what your parents, and me, couldn’t do…” _

And with these words, Finn fell asleep before he could take notice. The three of them rested fairly well, sheltered by the stone formation and soothed by the waterfall from the heavens. 

* * *

Leif woke up feeling fired up and relaxed. He immediately stood up and noticed that Finn and Nanna weren’t there, and that the entrance to the cave was open. He didn’t wait to step outside, seeing his retainer and almost adoptive father Finn collecting fruits and herbs within a short distance. He could tell Finn was busy, so he stretched and walked into the opposite direction to follow the sound of a water current. It didn’t take long before he found himself looking at a rather small river.

He saw Nanna down at the river, as the girl was sitting down peacefully and letting her small feet feel the flow of the current. Leif started approaching her and sat right besides her, also taking his shoes off and dipping his feet on the water. Nanna seemed to be entranced looking at the water, so Leif had to softly shake her just so she could even notice his presence. 

“Ah, good morning Leif!” she said with a bright smile on her face, which Leif kindfully gave back.

“Morning, Nanna. Are you feeling better?” he noticed that she seemed to be completely over her sudden breakout from yesterday, and wanted to make sure she wasn’t holding anything back. He and Finn knew she was prone to keeping things to herself.

Nanna simply looked back at the river, and let out a sigh.

“Leif… Do you think one day we could live a normal life?” 

“... Nanna…”   
  
It was then that she looked back at the boy next to her, this time with her eyes giving an expression of sadness.

“I just… I’m starting to get tired of this…” she said as Leif could notice that Nanna was tugging her dress.

“Of having to run from place to place, with our lives being constantly at stake… And getting people in trouble for helping us…”

“N-Nanna, I…”

“Who says that you’ll be able to fulfill your promises? We’re wanted by the Empire, and Papa can only fight so much… It’s only a matter of time before we.. we...” 

Leif knew she was about to cry again, so he lifted his arm and was about to put it over Nanna’s shoulder. He knew she was speaking the truth, and yet he would try to calm her down. But Nanna scooted over so that his arm was now out of reach, and attempted to scream but refrained herself from doing so because even then she knew that it was not polite.

“... I know that the Duke of Alster is dead… And the Duke of Tahra… And all of those who were in favor of helping us out… And I… I…” she was starting to lose it as a few tears rolled down her eyes.

“I’m honestly certain that Mom is also dead!”

Leif could now see that Nanna’s attitude from last night wasn’t a random outburst. She was legitimately frustrated and starting to lose hope. Nanna started crying, though this time not as loudly as the night before. Leif restrained himself and merely looked at her, thinking of what to say.

“I wish we could have a place to have home, to not fear that I could get taken as a hostage and probably get killed either way, to be able to meet and play with other children our age…”

Leif looked at her and saw his own words being reflected by Nanna’s mouth. He too desired this, but he understood that the time for that wasn’t now, he was determined that one day things would get better and that they would be able to have happy lives full of laughter and tranquility. He needed to cheer her up. Nanna was his one and only friend, the only person his age he could confide in, she was pretty much his sister by this point. He truly loved her, and didn’t want to see her in grief any longer. So he came up with an improvised and immediate strategy.

“AAAAH!” is everything Nanna could say as she couldn’t process anything, all she felt was a splash of the freezing water all over her body. She cleaned her eyes and looked at Leif, who was now standing up and carrying the biggest grin Nanna had seen him have in a long time.

“Why, you…!”

It was then that Nanna’s eyes brightened, as the girl stood up and got her revenge on Leif, who backed off for naught as the water still covered him.

“Gyagh! Oh? Now you’re playing the brave lady, huh? Well, take this!”

Leif threw more water at Nanna, who also backed off for naught and started laughing as the cold water splashed through her face. 

The two of them enjoyed their water fight a little bit more than they should have, as they didn’t stop for a second even after their whole attires were covered in water. It wasn’t long before Finn arrived to see what the commotion was all about, and they froze right where they were, looking up at Finn, who was facepalming. Leif and Nanna then looked at each other, and laughed so hard that they lost their balance and ended up sitting on the river, drowning in laughter until Nanna sneezed, and both of them were forced to get back to the camp by a dumbfounded Finn.

The sun kept rising in the sky as morning was still not quite over yet. Finn was looking over the fireplace as some fish he managed to catch were slowly roasting. Finn was glad that the children would be able to taste meat after a week of living out of plants and fruits, but that didn’t mean that the meat was enough, so a few fruits were ready to accompany their breakfast.

Finn then stood up and looked at a nearby rock, where all of Leif’s and Nanna’s clothes were swiftly drying up. Finn picked all of them up and walked over to the cave, as he looked down on the children he scolded about an hour earlier.

The two children were mildly sick, naked and curled up inside Finn’s cape trying to keep warm. Finn got the clothes of each child within each arm as Leif and Nanna dropped the cape, stood up and started to carefully put their clothes back.   
  
“How are the two of you feeling? Do you still want to play at the river?” Finn said in a tone that could only be described as coldly sarcastic. He waited for an answer as the children put on their underwear, then Leif put on his pants and his shirt while Nanna put on her dress. They immediately ran out and stopped at the sight of roasted fish, which made their mouths drool.

Finn caught up with them and they all had the most delicious breakfast they’ve had in quite a while. Both children devoured everything Finn had to offer while Finn slowly ate his smaller part of the meal. After they were all done, they gave thanks to Dainn and Njorun as Finn stood up in front of Leif and Nanna.

“I will be going to the nearby town to restock on supplies and get my weapons fixed. I want you both to stay inside the cave, block the entrance and be as quiet as possible until I get back. Understood?”

“Yes!” they replied in unison before they helped Finn undo the fireplace, to leave no trace that somebody was in the area. A few minutes later, Finn got on his horse, Lance and Sword ready to be deployed at any moment, and looked back one last time at the cave where Nanna’s face could be seen peeking from what remained of the entrance. The knight waved at his daughter before setting off to the Town which was around 3 miles away. Nanna happily smiled at her father before she totally closed the entrance to the cave, as it was now Leif and her alone. The two of them knew it would take up most of the day until he came back, so they immediately started thinking of a way to keep themselves amused.

She looked back at Leif and saw that he was holding a wooden stick, slowly swinging it before he looked back at Nanna. He handed it to Nanna and started thinking.

“So… Wanna play something with that stick?”   
  
“Huh? Like what?”   
  
“I don’t know… Maybe… The Priestess and the Devil King!” Leif said, proud of the name he gave to his invention for a game.   
  
“The… What?” Nanna tilted her head as she looked at the stick she had in hand, starting to get the idea. Just at that moment Leif grabbed another wooden stick as he got into a defensive pose.   
  
“On guard!” Leif said as he happily started roleplaying into the scenario. “For I, am… Uh… Lyon! Lyon the Devil King!” Leif evily smiled at Nanna who was starting to be immersed into their game, very excited to see what fun could result from it.

Leif walked back and opened a bag Finn had left containing a bunch of apples and pears.   
  
“The fate of the world depends on these sacred stones! Give up your useless struggle and bow down to me! Otherwise, I will destroy the stones myself and let the world sink into ruin!”

Nanna raised her sword and stood in front of this imposing ruler.

“Never! I will not let you end this world! If you dare challenge our world, then you will have to face me! Hyah!”   
  
The Priestess ran towards her sworn enemy, as their sharp blades engaged in a legendary battle that would be remembered for the ages. They each gave their all and kept fighting to see who of them was the strongest and had the right to rule the entire world.

* * *

Meanwhile, far beyond the realm of imagination and much farther than the cave they were confined in, Finn finally made it to town. It was rather small yet quite busy, and he started to look for an armory, which he found rather briefly. 

Finn got off his horse, took out his lance and made sure his sword was sheathed correctly. He then entered the building and saw a few people around. It seemed like only one of them noticed Finn’s entrance. The blue-haired knight exchanged looks with him: an overly-muscular man with an enormous axe in his hand. Finn kept looking at him before realizing it could mean trouble, so he looked away and sighed. This seemed to have the opposite effect, as now the strange man started to walk towards him. Finn silently prayed and yet before he could notice, a large figure was in front of him. He raised his gaze and looked at the stranger in the eye.

“Hey, you! If yer lookin’ to fix some weapons, ya gotta wait ‘til the smithy comes back. Went out for some food, heh.” 

Finn looked as this man was being rather nice to him. For his appearance and way of speaking, he guessed he was some sort of Bandit or a Sellsword. And yet his calm and even goofy nature caught him totally off guard.

“I-I see. Well, thank you, kind man. I will… Go outside and wait for him to return.” Finn replied as he realized that they were already catching the eye of the other customers.

“Don’t mind if you do! I’ll just stay here and make sure there ain’t no ruckus while the smithy is gone, haha!”

“I see. Good day, then.” And so Finn got out of the Armory. He was about to exhale deeply, glad that he didn’t run into trouble. But it didn’t take more than a second for him to run into a true predicament.

“...Gah!!!” Finn could hear as his eyes opened wide, for a man about to enter the Armory saw his face and immediately let out a gasp. Red Armor. Short Lance in hand. It was an Imperial Soldier.

“Y-You… You are…!”

Finn did his absolute best to keep calm and collected. They were out in the street with quite a few people passing by minding about their day.

“Me? Are you saying you know me, sir? Why, it is rather rude to-”

“It’s you! The knight from those ‘Wanted’ posters in Connaught! EVERYONE! CO-”

A loud noise was heard, and the soldier flew right onto the floor unconscious. Finn only be still and watch in disbelief as he was about to sheathe out his blade. The street became silent. Everyone stood still as if time had been stopped and watched as a large man, the same one from before, had knocked down the soldier with a single, precise punch to the head.

As Finn tried to understand the sight that met his eyes, the people screamed and ran away as fast as they could.

“The Empire!”

“The Imperials dogs are here!”

“Run!”

All of this could be heard as the streets emptied, though they were soon filled by a small cadre of Soldiers. 

“I-It’s him! Finn, the fugitive knight!”

“Get him!”

Lances held forward, they charged forward towards the pair. It was then that this mysterious man spoke up.

“I take it these aren’t friends of yours?”

“No. And get out of the way! This fight is mine and mine alone.”

“Oh, really? Guess I joined in the moment I beat that other bastard. Trust me. I’m with you.”

Finn looked rapidly at his side to see that the man was determined and with his Axe now in hand. Finn looked at his smile, and with a single sight of it he felt as if he could fully trust this man.

“Now!”

The man dodged the first lance coming at him and broke it completely with one strike. The soldier let out a scream before his face was punched into the ground. As Finn dodged two lances at once, he bent forward and was quick to slash the duo in the stomach. As the last two men charged at them rather fearfully, their cries were cut short by the man who knocked all of them out in one swing. As they too fell into the ground, spilling blood like all the rest, Finn and the man were quick to notice that the battle was already over.

“Hahaha! That was quite a good warm-up, wouldn’t ya say?” said the man laughing while putting away his axe.

“I… You truly came to my aid despite not knowing me... Why?” Finn was rather astonished at the chain of events, all of which had happened so quickly.

“Quite simple, really! This village here is rather hard to find, and the folk here despise Imperials with their guts! We just got rid of a small pack, so this was also good news for them.” 

“I… See…”

“And still, ye didn’t do anything to make them get all angry, did you? Ye don’t look like no Pirate or Brigand. For all I care, ye seem like the most fancy guy in this here village! Yer a knight or something?”

“Well, I-”

Their talk was interrupted as the townsfolk all came back. There were even more so than there were at the start.

“Look! They got rid of those Imperial bastards! Hurray!” Someone said and the people suddenly began to cheer them on, with Finn rather dumbfounded, not being used to being the center of attention.

“It’s him! It’s Dagdar of the Freeblades!” 

“He looks just like what I’ve heard!” 

“Is it really him?” 

“Njorun bless them!” 

“Bless the Freeblades!”

As the cheering continued, Dagdar could only scratch his head and awkwardly laugh.

“It was no problem, really! We’re just glad that yer all safe!” he replied

Suddenly, two men came forward to meet the centers of attention. Both looking at Finn.

“I’m the blacksmith of this town, sire. I will gladly repair your weapons free of charge! It’s all I can do to repay you for getting rid of those Grannvalian devils!”

“And I here run a tavern round the corner. You two feel free to come and have a drink! It’s in the house!”

Finn was reluctant to accept their offer, until he felt Dagdar’s arm going around his shoulders.

“You should relax. Enjoy yourself for a change! I can tell by yer face you’re not one who has fun often.”

And so, there ended up Finn, very awkwardly entering a tavern for the first time in more than a decade. He and Dagdar were received by smiling faces all around them. And as they were brought drinks and something to eat, Finn would at long last feel a bit comfortable talking to this new acquaintance.

“Sorry for not telling earlier! The name’s Dagdar.” he began cheerfully.

“And I’m Finn…. Nice to meet you, Dagdar.” he replied.

“I’m a member of the Freeblades, you see. I’m making my way back there from checking up with my boys in southern Thracia.”

Finn looked astonished hearing that this man hailed from Travant’s kingdom.

“First and foremost, if I may ask, what are the Freeblades?”

“Haha! Glad you asked! The Fiana Freeblades, eh? We’re a small militia based on that same village! We’re all volunteers, and we’re all led by an amazing swordswoman named Eyvel. Bet she would like you.”

“I see… Is Fiana just as well-hidden as this town?” Finn asked out of curiosity, though he really didn’t know why/

“Sure is! Even more, in fact! Honestly man, I’d be willing to tell you where it is so you could pay us a visit. I’m certain you would be well received!

“T-Thank you so much…” Finn bowed his head at this stranger, whom he had just met and was already willing to help him as if he were his own kin.

“Also, uhm, I’m sorry if I sound intrusive, but… You’re from southern Thracia, is that right?” he said a bit uncomfortably.

“Sure am. I, uhm… You see, uhm, I’m really not proud of saying this but… I used to be a Brigand Boss. Me and my boys ruled all of Mount Violdrake! But then…”

Finn, already astonished at what he was hearing, was for the first time curious to keep hearing about a story. 

“What happened?”

“I.. Found the love of my life, y’see. It was as harsh a day as any, when I was doing my rounds I came across a young woman. She was obviously as dirt poor as us, she looked like she hadn’t eaten a thing in days. And yet… Cuddled between her arms was a small baby. I took them in and she eventually told me about her life. She was a common village girl, who had recently been blessed with a child. It wasn’t long however, before her whole village was burned to ashes by the Loptrian savages. Her husband died ensuring their escape, and she had been walking for months. As a few months went by she started to feel a bit better, I actually had to start helping her with that small baby. Tanya was her name. For a year we grew closer, me mates started to crack jokes but I continued on… Until I think I felt true love for the first time... ”

Finn was still listening in awe, having met a character that was every bit as strange as himself.

“However, that did not last. Soon she began to feel sick. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen, and no doctor wanted to help a woman linked to such a nasty bandit as myself. And soon enough, she left us… I can say she left rather happily leaving Tanya to my care. But! I grew rather fond of that sweet little thing. She kept me smiling when I thought I had lost all that was good in me life. It wasn’t long before our raids led me to cross paths with Eyvel, that woman I talked about. She’s a real demon with that sword, let me tell ya. She gave me such a wild beating I think I could’ve died twice! But before she dealt a fatal blow she could hear a small child crying. I was dumb, or rather lucky enough to bring me Tanya into that raid. When Eyvel saw me lil’ Tanya trying to walk towards me, she spared me life and made me promise to stop banditry for good. To do it for her. And so, here I am, haha!”

Finn woke up almost scared, for he was entranced by this story quite like no other.

“Me daughter is now a teenager, tryin’ to grow more independent by the minute! She wanted to learn how to fight, but I forbade her of touching the axe and taught her how to use a bow instead.”

“So you have a daughter as well…” uttered Finn now looking down.

“Hm? Oh! Look at that! The handsome knight is now a father as well! Where is she now?”

“She’s… Hidden from plain sight. I ought to return to her soon.” and so Finn stood up, having finished his drink and left a silver coin on the table. 

“It has been most pleasing to meet you, Dagdar. I hope destiny allows us to cross our paths another day.” he said, trying his best to give a smile.

“Likewise, buddy! Don’t forget, if yer ever in need, just go to Fiana and ask for Lady Eyvel!” he said before waving off as Finn exited the building. Mounting his horse and riding out of the town onto the nearby forest.

* * *

While all of this had unfolded, Leif and Nanna were still immersed in their games. However, right as they grew tired of this game and decided to sit down to catch a breath, they started to hear some footsteps nearby the cave. They both stayed quiet, for they were wary of whether this was actually Finn or not. Leif started approaching the rock that blocked the entrance, but right as he got in front of it…

“GYAH!!!” he could only scream as the rock was destroyed by the slam of a hammer. As the dust settled, a group of brigands appeared and made quick work of the two weaponless children.

“Aaaaah! Let go of me!” 

“Nanna! Don't you dare touch her, you-”

Leif could not finish his sentence without being punched right across the face by one of the brigands. 

“Heheheh… Looks like this boy’s got quite a sharp tongue but not the strength to back up them words. Boys! Get the sacks ready! We found some fine regal merch in here.”

“Let me goooo! PAPAAAAAA---Hmmmmhmhhhhhh!!!” as all Nanna could say before her mouth was covered by another brigand.

“Keep that one intact! Girlies are always worth more on the market. Let’s get out of here before someone else notices! They definitely weren’t here alone.” and so they tried to get the kids out as quickly as they could.

It was then that one of the Brigands found a sword, well hidden besides another rock in the cave, as he removed the sheathe and revealed it to be a shining golden blade.

“Heheheh… This definitely looks like it's worth a fortune! Up with the merch it goes!”

Meanwhile, Finn was approaching the cave and noticed that it was now evening so he could now see with clarity. As he saw the cave from a distance, his eyes widened before immediately going back to normal as he held his lance and was now charging at the Brigands at full speed.

As soon as they saw his horse approaching, Nannas eyes became wide open as they were being overflowed by tears. Leif looked up with a smile.

“Grah!!! Quick! Let’s get rid of this bastard! It’s twelve against one!”

And as Finn charged, one of the Brigands slashed forward out of pure instinct before being immediately impaled and thrust into the side, where he fell and bled with his loud screams. As more axes started to swing, he quickly got off his horse leaving the lance on top of the gentle animal, telling it to get out of the way before any harm could reach him.

Finn let out his sword, fighting with pride and technique. He made quick work of one of them before he was rapidly overwhelmed. Even the two brigands who were previously holding Leif and Nanna ran to join in on the fun.

“FINN!!!”    
“PAPAAAAA!!!”

As the laughs of every brigand turned into gasps one by one, they all eventually fell down until the very last one, their leader, let a gargled screech as Finn’s blade had pierced his throat. As he fell, Leif and Nanna were about to smile and cry from happiness… Before they saw the state he was in.

Bloody, tired, with his clothes and his cape all torn as his legs were slowly giving away. The children were quick to run towards him and try to help. Nanna was at a loss of words, doing her best to help her father who seemed like he was about to faint from his injuries. However, Finn could still make one last effort as his horse approached, making way for him and the children to get on. While the horse was given a straight direction to go on, it could feel Finn caressing the back of his head before fully giving in to his injuries.

“Papa… Noooo… PAPAAA!!!”

“Calm down, Nanna! Please! Finn isn’t gonna die… Not if we… If we manage to take him to a healer…” Leif looked up towards Finn and could hear him barely being able to speak a few final words.

“Going… Fiana… Ask… Eyvel…” is all they could understand before Finn finally lost consciousness. And with that, the horse knew that he should keep going in the direction Finn made him face.

* * *

Their horse quickly made haste, though not going so excessively fast as to possibly make one of its passengers fall. They continued a long trek across the valley into the night, where eventually Nanna fell asleep on top of Leif’s back, who then didn’t take long to fall asleep on top of Finn’s back.

And so their horse went on, surprisingly for the whole duration of the night. It did need to take a few breaks, but it was determined to make his way onto the direction he was given: the coast. Eventually, it was about time for the sun to rise, before the horse could see a small hill standing in his long and arduous way. So he made his last push forward.

While the horse slowed down to climb onto the hill, Leif and Nanna began to wake up, not even knowing where they could possibly be going. Just as they rubbed their small eyes and yawned a little, they were blinded on one side by the rising sun, and on the other, by a small yet beautiful village that now stood in front of them. 

As the sun kept rising, Leif was quick to notice Finn’s injuries and remembered to check on him. Luckily, he still had a pulse. They looked outside of the village, where quite a few people were beginning a brand new day, until they noticed they had some rather… Strange visitors. A young man and a girl went up to them, with the man indicating that the girl should keep her distance. He looked at the unconscious man and the two children who accompanied him.

“Good morning.” the man said rather simply, looking at Leif in the eyes.

“G-Good morning…” he replied. He wanted to be afraid, he knew he shouldn’t talk with strangers, but given the situation… What else could he do?

“I see your companion is gravely injured. Are you related?” he asked, slowly walking towards them, a warm smile on his face. It was then that Nanna jumped from the horse and ran ahead, tightly hugging the man who was surprised, to say the least.

“HE’S MY PAPA! He… He… He fend off a band of brigands all by himself… Please… Help him…”

As he heard this, the young man looked back to the girl who was accompanying him and nodded. 

“Quick, Patricia! Let Eyvel know of this and to make way for treating some grave injuries!”

“Right, brother!” she said before quickly running off to the deepest part of the village.

Meanwhile, the young man could now see the young girl, crying and holding on to him for dear life. He could only caress her hair.

“My name is Halvan, sweetheart. What is yours?”

“N-Nanna…” she could barely say amongst her sobbing.

“And what about you boy? You look rather stern for someone your age.”

Leif could only look to the side and keep quiet.

“Hold on, sweetie. I will try to get your father off of that horse so we can help him, okay?”

She quietly nodded and allowed Halvan to walk up to her father. He was slow and gentle, while Leif held on top his precious Light Brand as if he couldn’t yet trust this man.

Just as he finished getting Finn off the horse and onto his shoulder, a few more people went out of the village gates.

“Hey! No fair! The one day I slack off is when something happens? Fate really has it against me, let me tell you all.” said another young man in a green shirt.

“Quiet, Osian. We do not want them to get scared. Here, help me with his other shoulder. Let’s carry him to the nearest bed.”

“Got it!” he said with a mild smirk.

As they carried Finn away, the blonde woman approached the two children who were now standing there, alone without their guardian. Nanna was still crying and immediately went on to hug the woman now instead.

“Please… Please… Save my papa… My father is… He’s…” she could articulate no more words are her crying took over her entirely. She caressed her head before bending down and kissing the young girl on the forehead, which left her in shock for a few seconds before she resumed her crying, now with the woman carrying her outright.

It was then that Leif walked forward towards her. Still a bit reluctant and holding his Light Brand in its sheath.

“Eyvel… Are you Eyvel? Are we in the village of Fiana?” is all Leif said without a single hint of sadness coming out of him. The woman now smiled kindly and looked at him carefully.

“I am indeed. Who asks, if I may?”

It was then that Leif gave another step forward, and held up his Light Brand as it shone against the sun’s light.

“This… I will give you this if you promise to help him. He is… Finn is… He is the closest thing I have to a father, and he already has Nanna to take care of. So please… Please…” it was then that Eyvel could notice a few tears rolling down his eyes. She approached him and began to caress his hair.

“You don’t need to give me such a thing. I promise you. We’ll do everything we can to make sure his wounds are healed. You have my word.”

And with those words, the young boy couldn’t do anything but break down as well, hugging this woman who he could now swear was an angel from the heavens. She hugged him back and made way inside the village, as the morning sun rose throughout the Thracian peninsula, signaling that the cold night was now over, and that a new shining day was about to begin.


	2. A Warm Breeze

It was a beautiful day in the Thracian Peninsula. The sun shone brightly and a few clouds adorned the sky, covering a land that was engulfed in suffering and oppression. That is, of course, an exception in quite a few places. But the sun shone perhaps the brightest on the small village of Fiana. 

The town was rather busy that morning, as the people came and went working to earn their day all throughout. Being a fairly small village, its largest house belonged to its chief and founder: Eyvel. The house was spacious, with wooden floors and basic furniture that didn't really give off a sense of wealth. 

It was inside this very house that a man now laid unconscious, covered in bandages under a soft blanket in the house's main bed. Beside him were 3 figures: a small brown-haired boy, a blonde girl, and besides them was Eyvel herself. The children looked at him with worrying eyes, while Eyvel looked at him with a gentle expression. After a short while, Eyvel spoke.

"His injuries have been treated as best as we could. He'll live, and he'll be fine, but he's gonna need to take a very long rest to fully recover."

The girl's eyes suddenly shone and tears started flowing through her eyes yet again. This time, out of happiness.

"Hm?" is all Eyvel could muster before feeling the girl hugging her tightly.

"Thank you… THANK YOU SO MUCH!" is what she could say before she kept on sobbing. Eyvel then looked at the boy, who had a gentle smile along a few tears running down his face. 

All Eyvel could do is smile, caressing the girl's golden curls for a few seconds before finally speaking again. "We were busy treating him all this time, I don't even know how much time has passed. I assume you kids are hungry? Why not join us for a meal?"

Leif turned back to look at her, his tears no longer visible. "We… We haven't eaten anything in nearly a day. If… If it's okay with you, then please…"

"Oh, don't worry! We have more than enough food for you all and then some! Feel free to explore the village while it's ready. The village isn't that big, and we all consider each other as family. There's nothing to fear."

Leif's eyes widened, and he could feel his energetic spirit come back to him. "R-Really?! Did you hear that, Nanna? How about we head outside and see?"

Eyvel could see Nanna had already stopped crying, and was now wearing a pure smile on her face. She stopped hugging Eyvel and turned back to face Leif.

"That sounds like fun! Are you sure we can go, Eyvel?"

"Absolutely." She said before turning back and heading for her modest kitchen. 

The two kids looked at each other, merely trying to process the fact that for the first time in years, they are safe to wander around, to talk with people and play around without any fear.

After a few seconds, they simultaneously smiled and headed straight towards the door. They opened it without hesitation and found themselves looking at a small yet beautiful village. 

There were a few houses, no more than a dozen, all sporting a similar rustic but elaborate look. The roads were well-maintained, the grass fields and trees were plenty, and quite a few people seemed to be busy moving on with their daily lives.

The kids took no more time before running outside and wandering around the nearest houses. They were kindly welcomed by the locals, men and women with different professions. Lumberjacks, fishermen, butchers, among others.

After a short while, they went upon a nearby field, with a few trees and bushes perfect for playing games.

"Hey, Nanna! How about we play hide and seek?"

"Sounds fun! I hide and you seek!" She said while running around, already looking towards the many bushes in the area.

"Alright!" Said Leif, wasting no time to face a tree, cover his eyes and start counting.

"One, two, three, four… I'll give you until thirty!"

Nanna giggled and ran around, getting further away from where Leif was and finding a small bush that seemed perfect for hiding. She quickly got inside it, struggling a bit to push all the leaves away to make space.

She curled up and smiled, thinking that Leif would not be able to find her. She waited a little longer and heard Leif in the distance, signaling the game had now begun.

She began to feel tired of curling up, so she simply sat down on the soft grass. It was then that she actually became alert: she could hear footsteps. She did her best to stay quiet, being certain that it was Leif trying to find her.

She paid attention to the steps, they seemed to come ever closer, until they finally went away and seemingly disappeared. She gave a quiet sigh.

"Phew… That was clo-" 

"BOO!!!"

"KYAAA!!!" she screamed as she was jumpscared. 

As she recovered from the shock, she could finally look at the scarer, who now was laughing uncontrollably. It wasn't Leif, but a kid she had never seen before. 

He looked a few years older than them, had a bit darker skin, and wore a green shirt with basic white pants. And he was still laughing as Nanna's soul slowly came back to her body. She then finally reacted and put on a pouty face.

"Hahahaha! You should've seen your face! It was priceless!" He said as his laughter faded away and finally calmed down.

"H-Hey! What's so funny about that?! You nearly scared me to death, I'll have you know!" She said, trying to be angry but being simply unable to. It was a fun scare.

"Oh, OH, uh… Sorry about that. It's just that your face looked cute. You looked like a scared rabbit!" He smiled while scratching his head. 

"Hmph!" Nanna blushed and looked away, not knowing how to feel after being called 'cute'. 

"Oh, dammit! I'm sorry, talking with girls is not really my strong point" the boy said while offering her a hand to stand up. 

"What's your name?" He asked while she softly took his hand and stood up.

"I'm… Nanna." She said, still not sure of what to think about this kid.

"Well, I'm Osian!" He said happily while pointing at himself. "I live in the outskirts of the village. I just came to collect fruits from the trees over there!" He said, while pointing at an orange tree nearby.

"Oh! I see." Nanna replied.

"You don't seem as rude as I thought you'd be. Well, good luck with that!" She said, now happy to know that she could at least trust this new face.

"Alright! See ya around, Nanna!" He said. And just as he ran off, Nanna gasped as she remembered the game.

"Nanna!" She could hear Leif's voice calling out in the distance. She turned around and he was there indeed.

"Leif! Where were you?"

"I could ask you the same!" He said, running back to where she stood.

"Oh, I… I just met one of the other kids from the village!"

"You did? Oh, well that explains a bit. Well, what do you say we stop playing and go back to Eyvel's house?" 

"I agree. If we take too long, she might worry." She nodded, as they both walked back from where they came from.

As they walked by a few of the houses, they could now see Eyvel's house in the distance. As they kept walking, they heard as if a few people were lifting something heavy. And then…

"BAM!" They heard a loud noise, as if a heavy object had fallen into the ground. They hurried over behind the house where the noise came from, and stumbled upon a peculiar scene.

"Ugh! Why do I have to be so weak?! Sorry, Halvan…"

"Don't sweat it, Tanya. As small as this tree-trunk is, it's still quite heavy. And you're not exactly the muscular type, either. Maybe I'll ask one of the neighbors for help." 

They both saw the two teens, a boy and what seemed to be a girl, standing on opposing sides of a tree trunk in the ground. One of them wore orange pants with a green shirt, had extremely short hair, and had an overall dirty look, but due to her slightly curved chest they could assume she was a girl.

"Oh! Its you!" Said Leif, as he recognized the boy: the same one who welcomed them into the village and called for Eyvel to help Finn.

"Hello there! Sorry you had to catch us like this…" he said a bit sadly. "We're bringing some wood to the carpenter, but it seems this one might be a bit too heavy." He said.

"Oh, shut it! If you're trying to say I'm weak, just go ahead!" Replied the girl before realizing Nanna was giggling in her direction, to which she blushed.

"Forgive me for not introducing myself earlier. The name's Halvan. And this is Tanya."

"Nice to meet you!" They both said enthusiastically. 

"Oh! You must be the kids Halvan told me arrived this morning. Is your friend okay?" Tanya asked.

"I'd like to ask as well." Said Halvan.

"Well, he's going to be fine, Eyvel told us he just needs some rest." Leif replied.

"Ah! That's great news! Well, if you'll excuse us, we should probably go and ask for help carrying this trunk." Said Halvan.

"Wait!" Said Leif. "What if WE help you out?"

Halvan looked at them for a second, then scratched his head. "You? I'm not sure if you'd be of much help. You're even smaller than Tanya."

"But still! If we lift it together, the 4 of us, I mean, we should surely be able to do it!" Leif said with great determination. 

"Y-Yeah! We're not big nor strong, but we'll do our best!" Nanna said clenching her fists with equal determination. 

"Well… When you put it that way, I guess there's no harm in trying." Said Halvan.

"Just don't go cryin' if you can't handle it and it falls on your foot or something." Tanya said hesitantly. 

"No worries! We'll be fine!" Leif said with a big smile on his face.

It was then that the four of them began. Leif and Tanya on one side, Nanna and Halvan on the other. They began lifting the trunk up at the same time, and slowly, but surely, it rose from the ground. 

"W-Whoa! You kids are tough!" Said a very surprised Tanya, barely able to speak since it was still heavy, but now it was also manageable.

They all stopped talking and focused on carrying the trunk away. Slowly but surely, until after a few minutes, they were finally able to make it to the carpenter, who thanked them immensely. 

"WHEW! That was certainly a challenge! And kind of a fun one, actually!" Said Halvan as he cleaned the sweat off his head.

"You, *pant* Are you serious?! I can barely feel my arms!" Tanya groaned.

"I told you we would be able to do it!" Said Leif while standing with pride, besides Nanna who was still catching her breath on the floor.

"Thanks a lot. Oh! I didn't even ask for you names. You have my apologies." Said Halvan.

"It's no big deal. I'm Leif, and this is Nanna. We're pleased to meet you."

"Likewise!" Halvan replied, as he noticed Tanya starting to pack up.

"Leaving already?"

"Yeah. Dad said he would send Marty to wait for me at the village gate by midday. And I hate it! No matter how much I tell him I can go back on my own, he won't let me!" She complained.

"Well, I can certainly understand why he would worry. You're still learning how to use a bow, and getting to Mount Violdrake is a dangerous journey." Halvan said.

"Huh? Wait, Tanya, you're not from Fiana?" Nanna asked curiously.

"Nope! Me and my dad live in the Mount Violdrake territory, which is quite a long way from here. We come to visit often, but he's been busy as of late, so he has one of his boys come and escort me around."

"Ah, I see. It was...Very nice to meet you, Tanya." Said Nanna in a bit of a sad tone, leaving Tanya a bit concerned. 

"Heeeey. Why the sad face?"

"Sorry. It's just that… I don't get to meet other girls very often, so I thought that maybe… Maybe…" Nanna said as she tugged on her dress.

"Ooooh, I see. Relax! I'm not the only girl around here. In fact, there's another girl who's around your age in the village!" Tanya said, as Nanna's eyes shone.

"Really?"

"Yeah! Her name's Mareeta. She's actually Eyvel's daughter. I'm surprised you haven't met her."

Leif and Nanna now looked at each other confused. If Eyvel really had a daughter, then she must've definitely been around the house.

"It's not that unlikely. She actually wakes up very early to go train in the nearby woods." Added Halvan. And this actually explained quite a lot.

"Still." Tanya went on, walking forward and patting Nanna's soft hair. "Don't be sad. I'll be back in a few weeks, and I'm sure Mareeta's gonna be a great friend." 

This made Nanna blush and smile, as Tanya stopped and walked away, bidding farewell to her friend and the children.

"Well. That takes care of that. I gotta go back to help my sister with breakfast. I'll see you kids later!" Said Halvan before he walked off as well. It was then that something clicked with Leif and Nanna.

"Break…"

"Fast…"

"OH NO! Eyvel!" They both exclaimed in panic, as they completely forgot about their promise to be back in just a few minutes. And so they ran as fast as they could back to Eyvel's house.

They rushed in and stopped for a moment to catch their breath, before finally entering the kitchen. There they saw Eyvel sitting on the table, calmly eating a slice of blueberry loaf.

"My goodness! Where have you two been? You're both drowned in sweat!" Said Eyvel, which was followed by the two children bowing down.

"WE'RE SO SORRY!"

"It's just that… We were playing, but… Then we met some of the other kids from the village and helped them with some errands." Nanna explained.

Eyvel then pondered. "Ah. Well, that explains it. I'm glad to hear you both had fun."

"Yeah!" They both replied, and just as they did, they could notice that they were, in fact, not the only people in the kitchen. Another person was sitting besides Eyvel. It was a girl. 

She was as small as them, sitting right besides Eyvel, and had stayed completely silent. Black hair, brown eyes, green dress, and a face that could only be described as indifferent.

"Oh! I must apologize! I haven't presented you to my daughter!" Eyvel exclaimed, looking at her child who now was rolling her eyes.

"Oh, Mareeta. Where are your manners? These children will be our guests for a while. Now don't be acting mean now." She told her while the only response she got was a puffed face and a mean stare.

"My name's Mareeta…. Nice to meet you, I guess."

"Well, I'm Leif. She's Nanna. We're both pleased to meet you!" They both exclaimed, trying to brighten the mood a little.

"Whatever…" is all Mareeta said before looking away from them. "I'm done. Thanks for the meal. Can I keep training now?"

"Mareeta!" Eyvel shouted, now standing up from her chair and looking directly at her daughter, who was currently looking at her with fear. "You are not behaving as you should. And you know that well! Now change that face of yours and treat our guests like one should!"

Mareeta looked away rather sad, with Leif and Nanna watching without saying a word. They hadn't seen Eyvel angry, and now they definitely knew they shouldn't get on her bad side.

"Fine…" Mareeta said before standing up, going forward to their guests and bowing her head. "I'm sorry." She said before quickly going to their modest sofa, grabbing a book and sitting down.

"Please don't mind her. I frankly don't know what's going on with her. She's usually kind and caring… But enough of that. I bet you're both hungry. So I'll let you enjoy your breakfast now!"

And so they did. It had been months since they last ate any kind of freshly-baked bread, and enjoyed every bite. Once they were done, Eyvel offered to help them wash all of their dirt and sweat. Nanna went up first, and that left Leif alone with Mareeta, who wouldn't even look at anything but her book. Leif thought this was the perfect time to approach her, and decided that he would sneak up on her, giving his first quiet steps.

"Don't even try anything funny. Just leave me alone."

"Aww! Come on! Why are you so mean to us? Your mother even says that you're normally kind. What the heck did we even do to you?!" Leif asked, now rather annoyed.

"Oh?" Mareeta answered, closing her book, leaving it on the side and standing up.

"You came to our village out of nowhere. You refuse to say even a word of who you are. You try to trick the people into liking you, and… And…" Mareeta said, now clenching her firsts and walking towards Leif in anger.

"YOU'VE EVEN TRICKED MY MOTHER!" Just as she uttered those words, she suddenly threw a punch right at Leif's face. She was quick but Leif was barely able to block it with his own first, not even flinching a little.

"W-What? What do you mean by 'tricking' people?!" Leif asked, now angry as well.

"Just who ARE you?!" Mareeta quietly yelled, now with a few tears rolling down her face.

"Mareeta, you… You're trying to say you think we're from the Empire?" he said switching his anger to concern, while Mareeta's tears just kept on flowing.

"I… I won't let you harm my family… I… I won't..." 

It was then that Leif felt her arm weaken, and she fell to the floor covering her face.

"Mareeta, I… I'm sorry…" is all Leif managed to say before his instincts kicked in.

"WHA-?! GET OFF-" is all she managed to say before finding herself embraced by Leif. Eyes wide open, she was left speechless.

Leif had sat onto the floor and hugged her tightly, as now Mareeta could hear that he was crying as well.

"I'm sorry, Mareeta… I, I really am… I don't blame you for thinking that way. After all, Nanna and I know that feeling all that well. To feel like you can't trust anyone, because they could secretly be trying to harm you. I get it. I'm sorry if we can't speak of who we are, or where we come from, but… But… I promise we mean no harm."

Mareeta's tears had now stopped, and now found herself returning the embrace.

"Heh…" Leif went on. "It's funny, isn't it? Judging by your reaction, I can assume you know what I'm talking about. And yet, you don't have to tell me why. All I want you to know is that I want us to be friends."

It was then that they both stopped their embrace, now looking at each other as their tears had long ceased to flow.

"I… Alright. I… I apologize." Said Mareeta, now bearing a warm, welcoming smile. "BUT! You're still gonna have to prove yourselves to me!" She said as she crossed her arms and looked away jokingly.

Leif could simply giggle and reply. "Sure!"

"Huh? What could you two be doing on the floor?" They both suddenly heard. It was Eyvel, alongside Nanna, who now had fairly wet hair and was wearing a new set of simple, yet comfortable clothes.

"Ah! We-" they both rapidly stood up in a panic. "It was nothing, mom! I swear!"

"Sure thing. Well, now it's your turn, little Leif." Eyvel replied.

"Wait! I… I want to do something before going ahead." Leif said leaving all 3 girls confused.

"And what could that be?" Eyvel said.

"I challenge Mareeta to a duel." 

"Hm?" Eyvel was now quite amused. Mareeta gasped and Nanna was left confused.

"I heard from Halvan that you wake up to practice very early in the morning, right? Well, how about we test each other's strength?"

Mareeta looked a bit shocked, but it took no more than a second for her to grin and for her eyes to be full of energy. "Alright. I accept your challenge." She responded before they ran out of the door into the backyard.

Nanna watched them with worry, while Eyvel had a calm expression.

"Are they gonna be alright, Miss Eyvel?" 

"Oh, they will. There are a bunch of wooden swords they can use to ensure no one gets hurt. How about we get out and see?" 

Nanna nodded and they both walked outside. However, as they stepped out of the door, in the main bedroom sounds of grumbling could be heard.

"Mhhh…" is all that the injured guest could manage to say, all while gently moving his hand. "W-Where…" Finn could only mumble to himself, still very tired and in pain from his injuries.

Meanwhile, not that far from the room, Mareeta and Leif had both grabbed two training swords from the grass. They each put themselves on opposing sides of the field and were eager to begin. Eyvel stepped up.

"Just remember. This is merely a friendly match. No hard hits." Both children just nodded, their eyes now locked into each other's. Eyvel now raised her arm. "Begin!"

They both ran towards each other as fast as they could. They felt the wind against their hair. Just as they got closer and closer, they raised their weapons and were now charging towards each other.

"HYAH!" Mareeta swung first, as Leif easily blocked the hit. He tries to push the weapon out of her hand, but fails. They are now on equal strength.   
Mareeta tries to back off and is barely able to dodge a slash. She now jumps forward with all of her force in one aerial swing.  
Leif rolls, dodging the attack by sheer luck, having some trouble getting up while still blocking Mareeta's attacks.

As their wooden swords clashed, Finn was still in his room, now starting to regain his strength little by little. He was now barely able to sit upright, and take a look through the window at his side to get a full view of whatever was going on. He could see Nanna standing besides a blonde woman, who perfectly fit the description Dagdar gave him of "Eyvel". It was then that he shifted his gaze towards the main spectacle and source of noise: Leif seemingly sparring with another girl his age.

As the children exchanged blows, amidst a dozen clashes Leif finally managed to overpower Mareeta, pushing her onto the floor. She was quick to dodge his final blow, rolling over and quickly standing up before charging again. They were now both covered in grass and dirt.

They kept slashing and pushing forwards for quite a while. The minutes went by, with both Eyvel and Nanna now being a little concerned. Leif and Mareeta were completely lost in their duel, not caring if their muscles were now sore and their attacks went from swift and aggressive to slow and tiresome. Their eyes even began to close up a little.

They slowly charged forward one more time, as their swords collided. They looked at each other with their barely open eyes, now panting and sweating all over. That's when Eyvel, now being a bit tired herself, opened her eyes upon seeing their two weapons fall to the floor.

The children now stood still, absolutely exhausted from their duel. It didn't take long for them to lose their balance, with Mareeta falling on top of Leif as they both fell to the soft blades of grass. With their last remaining strength, they embraced and thus fell asleep in each other's arms.

Nanna now blushed and looked away in awkwardness. Eyvel smiled and stood up to carry them both back inside. As she walked in, she now wondered if there would be enough space for them in the main bed, since they wouldn't definitely fit in Mareeta's single bed. As she walked upstairs and opened the door, both her and Nanna's eyes widened upon the sight that met them.

"PAPA!" Nanna ran to hug her dear father, who was now awake and laying in bed. "Oh, my sweet child. I'm so glad to see you're doing well." He said as he caressed her soft golden curls. He then proceeded to look at the woman carrying her liege.

"You must be Eyvel of Fiana. I have a debt to you which I don't think I can ever repay." 

"Don't sweat it. You must be Finn. I must really commend you for being able to take care of these two little rascals."

"If you need, I could try and make some space so that Leif and the child can-"

"I appreciate your offer, but you're still better off not moving for now. It will help you heal faster. As for what to do, I guess I should-"

Just as they spoke, they could hear a loud knock on the door. She regrettably left the children leaning onto the bed, and went down to be greeted by a few of the villagers.

"Osian? Halvan? What's the meaning of this?"

"Sorry for the interruption, Eyvel. But we wanted to bring you a small surprise in regards to our new guests."

"Surprise? What do you mean, Halvan?"

"Well, uh, just look besides us, commander!" Said Osian. And just as he did, Eyvel took a look at what the villagers had brought.

"Are those… Beds? Oh, everyone…" Eyvel was about to shed a few tears, as Halvan walked ahead.

"Yeah! The carpenter only needed some wood to finish them, so here they are. We don't really know how long they plan on staying, but we guessed that if they will, we might as well help them feel at home!"

"Yeah!" Osian and the few villagers replied.

And thus, everyone did their best to help bring the beds inside of Eyvel's manor. The house had Eyvel's main room, Mareeta's room, and a room used purely for storage. They tried to clean up the latter and make space for two of the beds, while the third one would go on Mareeta's room. 

As they finished, they cheered and Eyvel could now carry Leif and Mareeta to their beds, as well as explain to Nanna that she would now be sharing rooms with Mareeta. She then thanked everyone for their help, as everyone left to go on with their errands.

And so, it was just them again. With Nanna reading a book in the living room, Eyvel headed upstairs once again and sat besides Finn, who was still in disbelief of everything that had happened.

"You and little Leif now have a room of your own. We'll just have to wait for you to recover before you can fully move."

"You have my thanks…" Finn answered in a way that could only be described as shy.

"Hm? Sir Finn, are you still not comfortable around me?"

"No! On the contrary, I just… Sigh… Never mind my reaction."

And so, Eyvel sat down besides him.

"Alright. Well, now that you're finally awake, and it's just the two of us, I hope you do not mind me asking a simple question… 

Just who are you all?"

And with that, Finn could only sigh, for the story he was about to tell was a long one. And as he went on, Eyvel paid him all the attention in the world. All while Leif, Mareeta, and now Nanna as well, slept blissfully as they now had a new family.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my second ever post in AO3. This time I'm getting a bit more ambitious, with a story spanning multiple Chapters. It won't be that long though, probably between 5 and 7 Chapters. I love the Fiana Freeblades so much, and I've always fantasized about them getting more characterization. And I intend to do just that! I hope you stick around for the next chapter, and have a nice rest of your day!


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